Olga's Responses in WyzAnt Answers

Hi Alvis.

Ethan gave you the great explanation for understanding but I want to give you algebraic one.

You can rewrite the expression as 1×x +3×x. Now it looks like formula for distributive proprety

a×c - b×c=(a - b)×c

By applying distributive proprety you will get (1 + 3)×x = 4×x = 4x

This method only works if your terms have common variable, called like terms.

If you noticed: the coefitient in your answer is the sum of like terms coefitients.

Hope it helped.

Olga

Jhahad you seem to have trouble writing the equation.

It's like translating to another language.

If x is the first of three consecutive odd integers, then (x+2) is the second number and (x+4)is the third one.

Let's translate the sentence step by step.

Twice the sum of second and third number is 33 more than three times the first number.

2        [(x+2)+(x+4)]                                = 33+                3x

2 [(x+2)+(x+4)] = 33+ 3x

  After applying distributive property to square parenthesis equation will look like the one Robert used.

Good luck.

Hi Devora,

I would like to explain combining like terms to you.

The expression 3a+4b-3a-b has four terms: 3a,  4b,  -3a,  and -b.

Like terms are the one s with common variable parts: 3a and -3a are like terms, 

4b and -b are also like terms.

To combine 3a+(-3a) we'll use distributive property: ab+ac=a×(b+c).

a is common factor, it goes outside the parenthesis: 3a+(-3a)=a×(3+(-3))=a×0=0.

b is a common factor for 4b+(-b)=4b+(-1b)=b×(4+(-1))=b×3=3b

The answer is 0+3b=3b.

As you can see, when you use distributive property to combine like terms, you end up adding coefficients of those terms.

Hope it helps.

I like Jonathan explanation.

Here is different approach to solution.

In 12 hours Igor can make 1 ball and Bill can make 12÷4=3 balls.

Together they can make 1+3=4 balls in 12 hours.

It takes them 12÷4=3 hours to make 1 ball.

Best Wishes

When you solve expression with exponents, make sure you follow order of operations.

I your problem multiplication written first but squaring should be calculated first because power has a priority in order of operations.

8×4²=8×16=128